I "retired" from the corporate world a couple of years ago because I wanted to experience a real life after years of 80 hour work weeks and constant travel. A year later I realized that I was having a really good time, was always busy (how did i ever fit in a job??) and needed a creative outlet to share my experiences. Now I split my time between California and New Mexico but, wherever I am, I write about delicious, fresh, local, organic/sustainably grown food.

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Tuesday, May 7, 2013

mixed greens salad with shrimp & oranges

i remember when "salad greens" meant lettuce or spinach. growing up, we always had a salad with dinner. the salad consisted of iceberg lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes with italian dressing. then ranch dressing became all the rage and, for some reason, carrots were added to the mix. these days there are countless greens available at supermarkets, an even greater variety at farmers' markets or from our gardens and we eat them raw, sauteed, pureed into smoothies, juiced, even grilled! greens are having their "moment" which i hope becomes a permanent staple of our diets.

i love greens and try to incorporate them into at least two meals each day. this salad is a perfect example. packed with a mixture of whatever looks good at the market that day, the greens and shrimp become a nice first course or main dish salad. protein from the shrimp, vitamin a, c and b from the oranges and minerals such as iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium from the greens ensure this salad is an antioxident's dream. greens also include the vitamins k, c, e, and many of the b vitamins. they also provide thiamine, beta carotene, folate, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium and small amounts of omega fatty acids. don't you love it when something that tastes so good is actually good for you?

i have been visiting the red willows farmers' market located at the pueblo on wednesdays. the cool thing is that they are open year-round except during jan and february when the taos pueblo is closed. they specialize in greens grown in their greenhouses. i especially like their tat soi, a green i discovered at their market. tat soi is an asian green that tastes like a milder version of mustard greens. it is delicious and perfect in this salad. if you cannot find it in your area, substitute bok choy or use 1/2 cup of mustard greens. or come up with your own combination...this salad is very forgiving. whatever you use, i encourage you to keep the cabbage. the taste and crunch really make the dish. also, for vegetarians, substitute the shrimp for toasted walnut halves.

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About Me

I "retired" from the corporate world a few years ago because I wanted to experience a real life after years of 80 hour work weeks and constant travel. I soon realized I was having a really good time, was always busy (how did I ever fit in a job??) and needed a creative outlet to share my experiences.

Now I split my time between California and New Mexico and, wherever I am, I write about delicious, fresh, local, organic/sustainably grown food. I blog, am a retail & marketing consultant and serve on a few non-profit boards. Very busy life and I love every minute.